The Newsboy a is complex frame using Titanium tubing to achieve superior strength and resilience through the long arcing frame tubes that cantilever weight from the rear drop out to the seat tube, top tube and down tube. Most metal workers who look at it are impressed by its esthetic design, the choice, use and execution of materials and the way weight and stress are borne through out all the contact points of the frame. (As it happens your author's father is a noted metal sculptor, who appreciates a well crafted bike frame and he can't stop talking about this frame when ever he sees we have one.)
The downtube is 1 1/2" in diameter Ti tubing. It has a hole drilled near the head tube and the B/B shell. A separate piece of tubing is welding internally joining these two holes to achieve rear cable routing, for the brake and both derailleurs. The top tube and seat tube are made of 1 3/8" Ti tubing. The seat stays and S-bend chain stays are made of 7/8" diameter Titanium tubing and the vertical rear drop outs are machined from 6Al 4V Ti plate.
The stays will permit a 2.5" wide tire. The frame comes with a Wilderness Trails Bike Roller-Cam rear brake.
The Newsboy uses a fork with a 1 1/8" steerer and a 27.2mm seatpost.
| Merlin Newsboy Frame | |||
| Frame Size (inches, center to center)* | 15.0" | 17.0" | 19.0" |
| Head Angle (in degrees)* | 71.0 | 71.0 | 72.0 |
| Seat Angle (in degrees) | 73.5 | 73.0 | 72.5 |
| Nominal Top Tube length (in inches) | 22.00 | 23.00 | 24.00 |
| Chainstay (in inches) | 16.75 | 16.75 | 16.75 |
| Wheelbase (in inches)* | 40.9 | 41.9 | 42.2 |
| Standover Height (in inches)* | 30.0 | 31.4 | 33.4 |
| Bottom Bracket Height (in inches) * | 11.6 | 11.8 | 11.9 |
| Head Tube length (in inches) | 3.75 | 4.25 | 6.00 |
| Steerer Length (in inches) | 5.50 | 6.00 | 7.50 |
| Frame Weight (pounds) | 3.72 | 3.95 | 4.22 |
| * with Rock Shox Judy SL or Manitou 4 and rider weight aboard | |||
The Newsboy as you can see from the Table is made in 3 sizes, 15", 17" and 19".
Bike-Pro does not sell this frame. Merlin has the Suggested Retail Price for this frame set at $3000. It has a dealer cost of $2000 plus about $10 in freight.
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